Doolan ready for Test

Lee Gaskin

ALEX Doolan says he's as ready as he will ever be for a Test call-up and credits an off-season with retired great Ricky Ponting as the catalyst for his breakthrough summer.

Doolan can take a giant leap to booking his place in the Australian team with a big score for the Chairman's XI in the three-day tour match against Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, starting on Thursday.

Ponting rated Doolan as a bolter to fill his massive shoes for the start of the three-Test series with Sri Lanka at Hobart's Bellerive Oval next week, with one of Usman Khawaja, Phil Hughes or Rob Quiney favoured to get the nod.

All three have already had a taste of the Test arena, but Khawaja is the only one of the trio who will get a final crack at pressing their claims in Canberra.

While Doolan is a rank $17 outsider with bookmakers, he won't be overawed if presented with his maiden baggy green on his home ground.

''I feel like I'm as ready as I'll ever be,'' Doolan said. ''I've got a lot of confidence in my game, but I guess you never know when you get to Test cricket.

''It can be a really fickle game in a lot of ways, but I feel like I'm prepared pretty well and if I did get the call-up I'd give it my best shot.''

Results in the first-class arena this season suggest the 27-year-old Tasmanian wouldn't look out of place at Test level.

Doolan has racked up 570 runs at the impressive average of 81.43 with two centuries, the most recent of those coming for Australia A against South Africa.